Protecting and expanding the rights and liberties afforded to all New Jerseyans begins at the ballot box.
Throughout the first half of 2026, we’ve witnessed historic milestones for voting rights as we’ve continued to support people across the state in exercising their civic power, especially within communities that have historically faced disproportionate barriers to voting, including voters of color, young voters, and newly registered voters.
Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated as Governor Sherrill signed the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act into law. The ACLU-NJ and our partners in the NJVRA NOW Coalition first called for the passage of an initial version of this bill back in 2022 – seeing the New Jersey Voter Empowerment Act become law in 2026 is a culmination of years of tireless collective advocacy from communities and advocates across the state.
With this bill, New Jersey becomes the first state to enact a state-level Voting Rights Act after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais – which further eroded voting rights protections under the federal Voting Rights Act – and establishes New Jersey as a national leader with some of the strongest voting safeguards in the nation.
Under the new law, New Jersey will be protected against tactics that suppress and dilute the political power of voters of color – and that means democracy in the Garden State is that much stronger. Participating in state and local elections ensures that your voice is heard and helps build the future you hope to see in your community.
New Jersey has already had several elections this year, including the CD-11 special primary and CD-11 special general election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Gov. Sherill. During these special elections in February and April, we reached over 215,000 voters through our Get Out the Vote (GOTV) texting program. Through these efforts, we sent over 430,000 texts aimed at providing voters in CD-11 with important election information and encouraging them to make their voice heard in these critical elections.
But casting your vote isn’t the only way to get involved in your community. In March, we launched “Write for Immigrants’ Rights,” an initiative to give New Jerseyans a tangible way to engage with their representatives and make their voices heard in the effort to protect immigrant communities. Less than a week after launching, we received requests for more than 3,000 postcards in local communities. That resulted in 70 postcard parties across the state where neighbors joined together to write to their government officials. Of those 70 events, 39 were held by first-time volunteers.
During New Jersey’s June primary election, we reached nearly 300,000 voters, across three congressional districts (CD 7, 11, 12) through multiple tactics, including GOTV texting, electoral mailers and door-to-door canvassing efforts, aimed at providing key election information and mobilizing voters to make their voice heard at the ballot box.
These milestones have helped build community power and civic engagement across our state. Our democracy is strongest when everyone is able to participate. New Jersey must continue protecting the right to vote, combatting voter suppression, and dismantling barriers to voting that disproportionately harm our most vulnerable communities.
As we face rising attacks on voting – particularly for voters of color, the elderly, students, and people with disabilities – the ACLU of New Jersey remains committed to protecting our constitutional freedoms and safeguarding democracy.
In the upcoming General Election this November, we hope you will exercise your voting rights and make your voice heard on the issues that matter most to you. Together, we can build a strong, and representative democracy where every New Jerseyan’s voice is heard, loud and clear.
You can get involved in our work and stay up to date with our upcoming volunteer opportunities by signing up here.
